The Grand Caffeinated Massacre
by Nidonemo
Summary: A new Mithra barista in town serves the Feral One a concoction and unwittingly unleashes unimaginable horrors upon the Sarutabaruta region. (Extremely violent and graphic.)


**The Grand Caffeinated Massacre  
by Nidonemo**

It was a warm Watersday in Port Windurst, a young Tarutaru Black Mage with short spiky blue hair exited from the Mog House Apartment Complex and stretched in the morning sunshine. He wore a black cloak, an Ice Staff was slung on his back, and a soft smile on his lips. He looked out on the docks to the floating shops on the water, the spinning windmills turning slowly in the distance, and the lighthouse on the horizon, the sight of people peacefully going about their daily business filled him with a happy calmness as he headed down the stairs. He didn't feel like cooking breakfast this morning, as a chilled bottle of Pineapple Juice and a Sweet Baked Apple eaten out on the docks sounded much more pleasing that day.

Heading past the Air Travel Agency, the little Tarutaru stopped by a wooden chalkboard sign he hadn't seen before, it advertised a new coffee shop in Windurst Waters with a smiling cartoon Mithra's face pointing in the direction of the café surrounded by playful hearts drawn in colored chalk. Intrigued, he changed his direction and headed there instead.

Upon arriving at the brand new café which was festively decorated with multicolored flags waving in the breeze, he pushed the door open and was greeted by a dingling bell as well as a new scent, it was steamy, very strong, and earthy.

"Hello, and welcome to Keety-Kat's Kafe! I'm your barista, Keety-Kat! What drink can I start for you?" said a very cheery, and excited red-haired Mithra in a blue apron with a white Mithra's handprint on it. Nido walked up to the counter and looked at the menu above her.

"Hi! Uh, what's an 'ex-press-o'?" the Tarutaru asked. The Mithra tilted her head, slightly confused.

"Um, what do you mean 'what's an espresso'? It's coffee! Coffee is coffee! You know? The drink you make from ground up coffee beans and hot water?" she asked folding her arms hardly believing that anyone wouldn't know what coffee was.

"Oh, well my parents and my friends never let me drink it before, they always said something like it was dangerous, or bad for me, but they never said why. They would just get really nervous and change the subject when I asked." The Tarutaru explained.

Keety-Kat snorted.

"Pfft, there's nothing dangerous about it, it's just coffee. Here, let me make you something, I think you'll really like it! It's my signature drink back home, want to be the first Windurstian to try it? It's on the house!" she didn't bother waiting for his response, and proceeded to fly about the shop, pulling levers on machines that made gurgling noises as they sprayed bubbling white froth and spurted black boiling liquids together all inside a single paper cup. She swirled the mixture together with a wooden stick. She then took a giant metal canister and squirted a thick whipped cream on the top in a tiny mountain and drizzled black syrup in a zig-zag pattern on top.

"TAH-DAHHH! My signature drink! The **_Super-Duper- Up-and-At-Them-Instant-Hyperglycemic-Fiesta-Fit_****!" she then took out a party horn and gave a long, loud toot while throwing confetti in the air. Nido clapped his hands excitedly; he never had so much fun ordering food before!**

"You're fun! I'd love to try it! It looks amazing!" he reached for the cup but Keety-Kat stopped his little hand suddenly.

"Oh no! I can't let you have this yet!" she said, Nido looked up at her confused, she raced into the back and then reappeared wearing a party hat. "Not without these!" she announced, placing a matching party hat on Nido's head, handing him a chocolate pastry, and slipping a paper heat guard sleeve on the paper cup. "Don't want to leave you hungry and you don't want to burn your little fingers sweetie!"

"Wow! Thanks! You're awesome!" Nido took a slow sip of the drink. He had never tasted something like this before. It was sweet, but bitter, a very strong earthy flavor washed over his tongue. "Huh, well that was definitely new. I've never tasted something like that."

A strange new sensation began to grow in his chest. His eyes widened, his skin started to tingle. What was this new energy he suddenly felt? He wanted more of the drink immediately! He sipped as fast as he dared, trying to ignore the slight scalding as his taste buds were burnt from the hot drink. He then felt his stomach snarl for food like a drooling beast, he all but stuffed the pastry in his mouth, the light flakey crust giving way to a rich, sweet chocolate filling that had notes of hazelnut and peanut butter. He gobbled it down with reckless abandon, then took his paper cup in both of his tiny hands and gulped it.

"Wow! So you like it!? This is great, and here I was worried that Tarutaru may not like coffee! Hey what did you say your name was…?" Keety-Kat stopped as soon as she saw the Tarutaru begin to vibrate. He looked at her with a huge grin on his face. She stepped backward, frightened. His eyes were not innocently friendly anymore; they were filled with a crazed, yet happy gleam, his pupils like pinholes, the cup was crushed in his little hands and set aflame where it burnt to ashes.

"Woah, woah, woah, are you okay?" The Mithra asked backing up against the counter behind her, Nido began to levitate in the air; a strong energy pressure began to swirl around him knocking over a napkin dispenser on the counter and making the posters inside flutter.

"OhmyGoddessthisisamazing! Whatisthisfeeling!? Ilikethisfeelingalot! I'mgonnagodostuff! I'mgonnadoallthestuffrightnow!" his words buzzed through his lips, Keety-Kay backed up against the wall, eyes wide, mouth agape.

"I'mgonnagodefendWindurst! IloveWindurstbecauseit'ssocoolouthere! Wehavealotofcoolstuffhereand coolpeopletoo! Peoplelikeyou! You'resocool! Ilikeyoualot! Ilikeyourhair! Ilikeyourapron! Ilikeyouramazingcoffeedrink! Ireallyfuckinglikethiscoffee drink! WhydoIlovethisdrinksomuch!? I'mgonnagodostuffnowsoI'llseeyoulater! IloveyouBYE!"

With that the little Tarutaru rocketed out the door, blowing the swinging doors right off their hinges, and startling a few locals as he zoomed towards West Sarutabaruta, a vapor trail forming from his feet as he blasted through the air sending citizens diving for the ground. Before he reached Shiva's Gate, he curved in a sharp vertical arc, giggling and laughing loudly as he spiraled into the sky, the stunned eyes of Windurst upon him. He stopped abruptly and let out a long excited cheer, then looked down and waved to everyone.

"MydearbrothersandsistersofWi ndurst! Iloveyousosososososomuch! You'reallsoawesome! I'llmakeeverythingsafe! Leaveittome! It'stimetoplay! PlayplayPLAYPLAYPLAYPLAYPLAY !" he fell to the earth in a spiraling nosedive, laughing hysterically before jetting out the gate like a rocket.

The area fell into silence, gate guards looked at each other nervously then nodded quickly. They got up from where they were knocked on their rears and wasted no time in sealing the gate doors shut.

A Tarutaru gate guard wiped his brow and shook his head "Oh sweet, merciful Goddess it's finally happened."

"What was that, sir?!" a Mithra private asked. Before she could get an answer, another Tarutaru guard frantically ran up to him.

"Janshura-Rashura! Tell me if it is true! Do my eyes deceive me? A Tarutaru who can fly!? What happened-wappened?!" she asked. Janshura-Rashura nodded solemnly.

"Indeed it is true! Inform the Star Sibyl at once, there is no time to lose! Nido has been given a substantial amount of caffeine and is currently at large! Seal the gates at once!"

Not two hours later, a Galka Warrior dressed in chainmail armor with a Military Axe strapped to his back stepped out of the Windurst Air Travel Agency and stretched his massive muscled arms in the sunshine. The flight had been delayed due to air traffic being very congested for the upcoming festival in Rolanberry Fields, and Wolfos was relieved to be off the airship. He had taken the detour from Bastok to Windurst in order to visit his friend Nido as a surprise along his way to Jeuno. As he stepped out into the city he saw an advertisement for a new café in Windurst and decided to check it out, the flight had made him fatigued and slightly irritable and he knew he had a temper if he was without food for too long.

The Galka was surprised to find a Mithra nervously trying to fix a pair of swinging doors in front of a large "CLOSED" sign in the doorway to the café.

"Excuse me madam, is this the new café?" Wolfos asked. The Mithra looked at him and nodded.

"It was until a little Tarutaru came by!" she grunted and gestured to her front door then to the path of disarray leading towards West Sarutabaruta, Wolfos looked to where she was pointing. A clear line of air-flattened grass made it obvious where the Tarutaru went.

"What happened here?" Wolfos asked anxiously, his intuition already telling him the answer. The Mithra brushed her red hair out of her eyes and sighed.

"Some little Tarutaru mage came in and I thought it was a cool idea to give him my best and strongest drink, he said he had never had coffee before, and that all his friends wouldn't let him have any." she shook her head, "That should have been my first clue." Keety-Kat explained, wiping her brow. The Galka felt a cold shiver as the reality of the situation weighed heavier on him.

"Madam for my next question I need you to think very, very clearly, was he wearing a black hooded cloak, possessing an Ice Staff, and did he have blue, spiky hair and blue eyes?" he asked. The seconds that she took to think felt like hours.

"Yeah! He did!" she answered.

"My dear Goddess! You are not at fault here! You knew not what you did! In the future, he is not to ever purchase anything but fruit juice or mineral water at your establishment here, is that understood? It is for his own safety and for the safety of us all! Please excuse me! I must find him immediately!" and with that Wolfos ran off towards Shiva's Gate. The Mithra stood up and watched him run faster than she had ever seen any Galka run before. She sighed and folded her arms.

"Mother always told me to move back home to Kazham, settle down with a man and have kittens, but would I listen, nooooo! I wanted to start my own business abroad!" she muttered, turning her attention back to her splintered doors. "Ugh! That little fart is so banned!"

Upon arriving to Shiva's Gate which lead to West Sarutabaruta, Wolfos was met with a large crowd of irritated and impatient adventurers arguing with the guards and pointing to the gate that was sealed with large wooden doors.

"This is an outrage! I need to collect wind crystals for my crafting before the next full moon!" shouted an Elvaan carpenter.

"I'm in dire need to train my sword skills for my next mission!" yelled a Hume Warrior.

"My daughter is out there! I sent her to fish in the river for dinner! You must let me out to find her!" a panicked Mithra Thief begged the guard.

Wolfos quickly yet politely made his way to the front of the crowd, and approached a Mithra guard. "I'm sorry there is absolutely no way we are letting anyone outside the city until the danger outside the city is contained!"

Wolfos piped up "I'm a close friend of Nido's, you must let me pass! I can get his attention and try to calm him!" before the Mithra could refuse him exit, the guardhouse doors burst open and Janshura-Rashura ran up to Wolfos.

"You know the Feral Tarutaru of Windurst?! It's a horrible thing to make jokes in an emergency like this! Are you telling the truth?" he demanded, Wolfos nodded and produced a small picture of him and Nido together as proof. Janshura-Rashura snatched the picture from the Galka's hands and inspected it closely, sure enough the photograph was clear, Nido rode upon the Galka's shoulder as they both gave peace signs and big smiles to the photographer. He then returned the photo and gave him a stern look.

"If what you say is true, and you are confident that you can calm him down, then I will allow you to leave and do so. However, be advised that we will not help you if you run into any kind of trouble, nor be held responsible for anything that may happen to you! Is that understood?!" he barked. The Galka nodded, and the Tarutaru snapped his fingers, the gates were opened, and Wolfos frantically ran through into the darkness of the tunnel, the gates slamming shut behind him. Janshura-Rashura crossed his arms and shook his head. "Goddess save him, the fool is committing suicide. Forgive me, for I have let a man run to his death."

As Wolfos raced into the sunlight, he stopped and let his eyes adjust a bit as he looked around. The sight that met him sent him into a cold sweat. The immediate area was littered with corpses, blood stained the grasses and the rock walls around the gate in sharp splatters and thick pools. Bodies of Goblins, Bees, Yagudo, and Mandragora lay about the grasslands, a cold wind blew through the air, upon it the scent of freshly spilled blood and the chill of terror.

A few yards ahead of him stood a female Tarutaru with blonde hair in pigtails, wearing black and white striped mage's robes, chuckling to herself. As he approached she whirled around and crossed her arms, a smile on her face that could almost be described as a combination of envy and pride. It was Shantotto, one of the most powerful Black Mages in the entire Federation of Windurst.

"My good Galka friend, what are you doing here? I gave my orders to not let anyone leave the city, weren't they clear?" Shantotto said, the revered and equally feared black mage tapping her foot impatiently. Suddenly something bolted around in the long grass ahead of them, there was a series of grunts, punches, the distinct sound of bones snapping in half, and a Goblin Weaver was thrown out of the grass where it struck the cliff wall far behind them in a great splattering of blood as if the poor soul had jumped off a tower and hit the ground ten stories below. A giggle came from the grass before whomever was there bolted away again. Wolfos watched in shock as the blood dripped from the corpse now embedded in the rock before turning back to the Tarutaru woman standing in front of him.

"Is that little comet of chaos out there your buddy, your pal? He's bringing destruction to the beastmen in ways I didn't know until now!" she chortled. "They begged me to calm him down, even offered me money! However watching him destroy them is entirely all too funny!"

Suddenly a loud scream echoed in the distance, followed by a spray of blood. She laughed again.

"Bits and pieces of monsters fly through the air! Blood fountains and gore splatters come from brutal tactics quite unfair! He knows not of mercy or of moral, it's almost frightening, I must declare!"

While she spoke, a bright yellow and black striped Crawler flew through the air and was sliced in half, mid-flight by an unseen force before it even started to descend, two clean halves falling to the ground in different directions. A Carrion Crow flew frantically in a panic before a giant fireball slammed into it and burning pieces of the bird fell to the ground.

"The massacre is entertaining! The murder is amusing! Why they want me to stop him is absolutely confusing! However if you're still interested in your futile endeavor, I wish you the greatest of luck, as it looks like he'd want to go on forever! Ho ho ho ho!" with that she snapped her fingers and a black circular portal opened behind her, she casually strolled inside and it shrank shut behind her, leaving no trace but a sparkle in the sunlight. Wolfos looked back into the tall grass and heard what sounded like panicked crying, begging, and struggling.

"P-please! For pity's sake! AUGH! I beg of you!"

He raced towards it, parted the grasses with his hands and his jaw nearly hit the floor at the sight that unfolded before him. Nido had a Yagudo Initiate on his back in a headlock, one of the Yagudo's wings was broken and bent backwards in a cruel fracture, the Tarutaru's small arms successfully choking it as the Yagudo clawed desperately with its remaining wing, fearful tears streaming from the beastman's eyes and down its short black beak. It reached out towards Wolfos, gasping for air. "Oh for the love of the Dark Lord! I don't want to die! Please save m-" a snapping sound silenced the Yagudo Initiate forever.

Nido didn't waste any time and jumped to his feet, giggling as he ran at full speed out of the tall grass, leaving the Yagudo's corpse behind like a discarded toy. The Tarutaru's black cloak was littered with dark stains, red droplets covered his face. He gave a friendly wave to the stunned Galka as he raced by.

"Hi buddy! Can't talk! Busy, busy, busy! So good to see you!" Wolfos could only watch in horror as Nido ran at full speed, hurled himself at a Yagudo Initiate's legs, tackled it to the ground. With a fluid series of movements Nido leaped up into the air and came crashing down on the Yagudo's kneecaps, snapping them before performing a backflip onto the screaming beastman's neck, crushing its windpipe. He raised his arms into the air like a victorious gymnast who had just stuck his landing for the judges.

Nido then looked to his right and recognized a Mandragora who was wandering close by. "Hey! I know you!" before the Mandragora knew what was happening the plantoid was already raised into the air, Nido holding it by the stalk of the sprout growing out of its head, the Mandragora's little legs waving helplessly above the ground. "Yep! You're the little shit that was beating up on that little Mithra girl yesterday! She's sick now with an allergic reaction to your Wild Oats, but she'll recover. I just want to make sure you won't! Bye!" he thrust his fist right inside the Mandragora's stomach in a swift punch, and a red glow began to grow from inside. The plant monster emitted a high-pitched scream before it was completely engulfed in flames and burnt to ashes in a quick flash of fire and light. Nido wiped his ashy hand on his pants and ran off again.

Wolfos had never seen this side of Nido before, he had heard the rumors that he was ruthless in battle but in all of his time spent with the Tarutaru he had never actually seen him fight. He felt slightly sick to his stomach, he then caught sight of three Goblin Thugs creeping up behind the Black Mage, before he could yell at Nido to look behind him, the Tarutaru had already raised his hand in the air and smiled.

"Hi guys! Let's all do the Swirlywhirlybirdy!" he shouted gleefully as air currents picked up and swirled around the mage in a strong tornado of dust, hurling the screaming goblins into the air. He looked up and with a great smile on his face sang, "Shockity-wockity-blammity-BLAM! Now you're all dammity-DAMNED!" bolts of lightning shot from Nido's palms and violently electrocuted the Goblin Thugs frying their skin to charcoal, their hearts bursting in their chests like water balloons filled with blood. Their bodies hit the ground one after another with sickening thuds, wet crimson stains forming under the goggles and mouth vents of their hoods and dripping onto the grass.

As if drawn by the ruthless violence, a swarm of Giant Bees came buzzing from around a rock spire, absolutely furious. Wolfos surmised that Nido probably had knocked down a nearby nest and burnt it to cinders and that these were the survivors. Nido spotted the swarm closing in on him, smirked and looked at Wolfos. "HEY WOLFY! LOOK! FIRECRACKERS!" he pointed a finger at each one, and sparks flew forth, zapping each and every bee striking them square in the abdomen which exploded in a loud bang, sending Nido into a fit of childlike laughter as they popped in bursts of legs, wings, and antennae.

His laughter was abruptly interrupted as he was knocked off balance from a solid impact from behind. He looked behind him to see an angry Savanna Rarab chattering at him, bowing low on its spindly legs, its long, narrow tail raised high and waving frantically in preparation for another Foot Kick. Nido smiled wide, which confused the Rarab. "Hi there Mister bunny! Let's fly, fly, fly away!" Nido swiftly grabbed the Rarab's tail, raised him up and jumped high into the air, assisted by a burst of air from his free palm. Looking down, the Tarutaru waved at a surprised Yagudo Priest who had been sneaking up on them from behind hoping to catch the feral mage off guard. Nido spun the Rarab around like a sling and then flung the creature at the Yagudo Priest, striking him right in the forehead dazing the pair. Nido landed gracefully on a cushion of air, turned and raced back to the fallen duo, he snatched up the Rarab by the tail once more and swung it fiercely around, slapping the Yagudo Priest in the face with heavy blows, knocking mucus and blood from the beastman's nostrils. After about ten solid hits to the face with a now unconscious Rarab, the Yagudo fell back on his tail feathers and was too dazed to rise again, his vision blurred by stars and sparkles. Nido whirled the Rarab above his head before releasing it, striking the Yagudo square in the beak one last time. The Yagudo fell back and was knocked out cold.

Wolfos had just about enough, he opened his mouth to call out to the crazed Tarutaru, but then Nido turned around and started waving. "Hi guys! You all want to play too!?" The Galka looked in the direction he was waving and let out a startled gasp. About twenty Mugger Crabs were scuttling angrily towards them, furious bubbles foaming at their mouths. Wolfos couldn't believe his eyes.

"That's just fucking ridiculous! What in the world did you do, Nido!?" Wolfos shouted.

The Tarutaru shrugged in response, "I have no idea! Everyone just wants to play today!" He raised both arms in the air, two very large crystals of ice began to form as frosty water vapor accumulated rapidly on either side of the Tarutaru. He clenched his fists shut and the crystals splintered into countless needles of ice. "Chilly-willy-stabbity-wabbity!" he sang as he started to dance in a circle, waving his arms about. The needles began to swirl around him like minnows in the sea, changing direction as Nido turned to and fro. Soon he was surrounded by the angry crabs, and he ducked down, pulling his arms into his chest, the needles covered him like a blanket of shimmering spines. "ReadysetGO!" squealing in delight, Nido jumped upward and swung his arms outward, the needles shot outward skewering every crab around him, killing them instantly.

Nido rolled around in the grass giggling like a maniac, before suddenly gasping in excitement, jumping up excitedly clapping his hands. "Oh my Goddess! I have a great idea! TO GIDDEUS WE GO! WHEEHEEHEE!" The Tarutaru let out a shrill squeal as he raced off to the Northwestern corner of West Sarutabaruta at a speed faster than an ace Mithra sprinter. Wolfos knew he had no chance of keeping up with his friend's insane pace, he ran back to the city, and pounded on the gate, he had to find a Chocobo.

Nido sped through the dry grasslands of West Sarutabaruta like a bullet, his tiny feet a blur, he held his arms out like the wings of an airship, and made buzzing noises. He raced along the dirt path, kicking up dust and blinding the local fauna. As he neared the entrance to Giddeus he came to a screeching halt, digging his heels into the sandy ground, stopping an inch before the end of the dirt road. His eyes gazed upon the tall rock walls and spires in the distance that awaited him. An excited squeal escaped his lips and he clapped his hands, stamping his feet. He took a deep breath and screamed at the top of his little Tarutaru lungs.

"HEY YAGUDO! TIME TO PLAY HIDE AND SEEK! THREE! TWO! ONE! READY OR NOT HERE I COME!"

After a few moments he smiled again and darted inside the narrow pathway leading into the Giddeus region. Not twenty minutes later did a Galka arrive on the back of a large yellow and very exhausted bird. He dismounted, quickly gave the Chocobo a kind pat on the back and shooed it back to Windurst. "Thanks buddy, now get out of here, go back home where it's safe!" As the bird gave a "kweh" and ran off, he bounded inside the narrow pathway ahead.

As the Galka Warrior made his way into the twisting pathways, he took a moment to take a breath and steel himself for whatever horrors that lay ahead. He stepped into the clearing and was hit with a view that made the color drain from his face. Yagudo lay everywhere, bodies piled upon bodies in pools of blood, faces frozen in purest terror, twisted in agony as their lives were snuffed out at the greatest point of horrifying pain. Wolfos couldn't look anywhere without seeing a corpse. Bodies hung limp, dangling out of the nests that sat upon spires, blood dripping from wingtips. One Yagudo Warrior's own sword was run clean through his skull. A Yagudo Priest lay against a rock wall, his chest looked as if it had burst open and what was left of his internal organs were strewn about the ground nearby. Hoo Mjuu the Torrent was hanged by a rope, his body slowly turning in the air, his beak broken in half and stabbed through his throat.

Wolfos fell to his knees and vomited, never had he seen such violence, such disregard for life and limb. He shivered, this was all the doing of a little Tarutaru Black Mage. One little person, so innocent, so sweet, so kind, so generous to others. His mind wandered through memories of Nido laughing and smiling, playing little games with his beloved pet rooster, Mister Sprinkles. Helping out the neighbors with small tasks like grocery shopping, and cleaning house. Being honest, and heartfelt with his words. The Galka Warrior looked up again as the nausea subsided, back up at the corpses, the blood, the gore. Did Nido really do all of this? It didn't seem real. It seemed impossible, like a living nightmare. He was broken out of his haze by screams in the distance, getting to his feet, he frantically climbed up a cliff and ran towards them.

Upon turning another corner he found Nido, and about thirty more Yagudo. Half of the Yagudo were running in a panic, screaming out for mercy, the others had their weapons drawn and surrounded a nest rooftop that Nido stood upon. They leaped and climbed up every side, desperate wave after desperate wave, all trying to land but a single scratch on Nido, and the Tarutaru laughed as if it were all a big game to him. He waved his hand and blew an entire team of Yagudo Warriors off the nest in a gust of wind. He encased a pair of Yagudo Zealots in separate bubbles of water and swirled them around, they struggled and choked to get away, clawing at the sides for air until the light went out of their eyes and they fell motionless to the ground in a quiet splash.

The Galka felt numb. The world went gray, and time seemed to slow, he saw every cut made in the flesh of the Yagudo by the slicing wind. He saw the last breath escape their lungs as they drowned. He saw their feathers burn, their skin blistering in the flames. He watched as sharp shafts of ice skewered them through from the inside. He witnessed their bodies being sent into violent convulsions by lightning shocks. He saw boulders surround them and crush their bones to dust. Suddenly a small voice shouted at him, it was muffled at first, but then slowly became clearer. He looked upward at the Tarutaru who was waving at him, the Tarutaru he didn't seem to know any more.

"Hey Wolfos! I said look what I can do!" Nido raised his hands to the sky and closed his eyes.

The sky began to darken as black clouds approached from every direction, beginning to swirl around in the once blue reaches above. The winds picked up, at first gentle, but soon turning into strong gusts and threatening to become gales. The Tarutaru's eyes shot open, and burned brightly with a sick yellow gleam of madness. Wolfos looked around, the remaining Yagudo Priests and Zealots fell to their wings and knees, begging for forgiveness from the heavens above, repenting and frantically rubbing their prayer beads so hard they broke from their strings. Yagudo mages and warriors still clinging to shreds of courage flung spells and rocks at the Tarutaru, but all efforts were in vain as they bounced off or missed him entirely deflected by an unseen barrier. The Feral Tarutaru of Windurst rose into the air, and an opening formed in the clouds directly overhead.

"**_Giant rock from outer space...move from your orbital place!_****  
****_Flaming boulder from the sky...a wonder to the naked eye!_****  
****_Ancient retribution...a conflict's immediate, and violent solution!_****" he chanted**

Wolfos' eyes widened, he found his voice, "NIDO! NO! DON'T DO IT! FOR THE LOVE OF THE GODDESS DON'T DO IT! HAVEN'T YOU DONE ENOUGH!?" he screamed desperately at the Black Mage.

"**_Come down from the clouds in a gigantic flaming roar! _****  
****_I SUMMON THEE! OH GREAT METEOR!_****"**

From the opening in the sky above, a bright light began to shine as a humongous rock from the heavens slowly descended upon the Yagudo settlement. It was horrifyingly obvious that no one within Giddeus would be able to escape the resulting impact. Yagudo screamed helplessly, running about, hugging each other, crying in fear, confessing final words. Wolfos fell to his knees, he couldn't move. He could only watch as Nido laughed and giggled childishly, dancing upon the roof in little spins, clapping his hands. Suddenly the Tarutaru vanished and reappeared at the Galka's side, and grabbed his arm. "Time to leave, big guy!"

The world suddenly slipped away, he felt air rushing past him, he was traveling at a blistering speed, his body felt like water as he saw the world rush by him. Suddenly everything stopped, his head spun a bit, and he fell to his hands and knees. He blinked and as his vision came back into focus, cold, flat stone stared back at up him. Wolfos raised his head and saw Nido looking out into the distance ahead of him. They were atop one of the many entrances to the Outer Horutoto Ruins, a giant stone tree-shaped tower that looked out over the Bastore Sea. A great fire burned in the distance, it fell to the earth and behind the rock spires that surrounded the area they were just standing in a moment earlier. The meteor that Nido had summoned struck Giddeus in a gigantic explosion of heat and light, Wolfos shielded his eyes as strong winds and clouds of dust filled the air, and a violent tremor shook the top of the tower he desperately held onto.

He stayed there, face down and hands covering his head and neck for a short time until the vibrations subsided. Then when all seemed quiet, he dared to look up. There in the bend of one of the spires that jutted out from the roof of the tower he lay upon, sat the little Tarutaru Black Mage. He swung his feet playfully over the edge, watching the fires burn in what used to be the area of Giddeus now a giant smoldering crater on the face of Vana'diel. Wolfos felt a cold shiver run down his spine, Nido didn't seem at all disturbed by his recent actions, the tremendous suffering he inflicted upon the Yagudo, the immeasurable pain the Goblins suffered at his hands, the wanton destruction he had wrought upon the world. No guilt evident on his face, not even a tear dripped from his cheek, simply an innocent and youthful smile.

"Nido..."

The Tarutaru turned to look over his shoulder, yawning. "Yep?"

"Nido, what drives you to do the horrible things you just did? You're such a nice guy, so caring, so full of love for your friends and family, but today you turned into this rampaging bloodthirsty, demonic force with no mercy or regard for life whatsoever, then when the battle is over you turn back into the Nido we all knew before, as if nothing just happened..."

Nido didn't answer, he simply looked back out on the horizon at the burning remnants of a Yagudo society, and slowly lay back in the crook of the spire he sat upon.

"Nido? Nido! Answer me!"

There was still no answer, Wolfos stood up and walked over to the Tarutaru and discovered his friend was fast asleep. He sighed defeated and shook his head.

"You crazy little bastard. What the fuck is wrong with you?" he gently lifted the Tarutaru from where he lay, and put him down on the roof next to him. The Galka sat down next to the sleeping Black Mage, and his mind stumbled through the events that had just transpired. He then looked around, and came to a realization.

"How the hell am I getting down from here?"


End file.
